U.S. Skeleton Racer ‘Cried’ After Missing Olympic Dream Due to Controversial Team Canada Decision: ‘So Horrible’

NEED TO KNOW

• U.S. skeleton competitor Katie Uhlaender says a controversial Team Canada decision to pull its athletes from a recent qualifying event caused her to miss out on the 2026 Winter Olympics
• Uhlaender, 41, said she "cried" when her "best friend" from Team Canada told her about the plan
• Uhlaender has since criticized Team Canada, claiming its decision "was to manipulate the system" rather than protect its athletes, as Canada claimed

A controversial decision by Canada’s national skeleton team cost U.S. sledder Katie Uhlaender her spot at the 2026 Winter Olympics and left her in tears this week, telling members of the media she felt betrayed by her “best friend.”

The wild and heartbreaking scenario played out at the North American Cup at Lake Placid on Sunday, Jan. 11 where competitors vied for the final few spots on their respective Olympic teams ahead of next month’s 2026 Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina.

Team Canada said in a statement that it opted to withdraw its athletes from the competition because the team had no other athletes in contention to make the Olympic cut, while those who already made the 2026 Winter Olympics would have only risked injury.

Team Canada’s decision meant the field of competitors at the North American Cup dropped to 21, reducing the amount of total points those 21 competitors could achieve towards their Olympic qualification during the event. 

Uhlaender, a 41-year-old two-time world champion, was hoping to rack up enough points during Sunday’s event in order to qualify for her sixth, and perhaps final, Olympics.

Team Canada head coach Joe Cecchini, Uhlaender’s longtime friend, told her about Canada’s plan ahead of Sunday’s event. 

It was news that crushed her, Uhlaender said.

"I cried when I found out he went through with this plan,” the American sledder said, according to DW. "I didn't know if it hurt more that my friend of 20 years just nailed my coffin, my Olympic dream is over. Or, that my best friend of 20 years is doing something so horrible that hurts so many people."

Uhlaender claimed in her interview with DW that Cecchini told her Team Canada’s plan was designed to "eliminate any possibilities" that veteran Canadian sledder Jane Channell could be caught in the standings and miss out on the 2026 Winter Olympics.

In a statement, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) said its decision to pull four out of its six athletes from Sunday’s event was made "after careful evaluation of the program's needs and in consultation with the IBSF,” according to BBC.

The Canadian organization said it "remains confident that its actions were appropriate, transparent, and aligned with both athlete welfare and the integrity of the sport" and that it believes it was making the decision based upon "careful consideration of athlete health, safety, and long-term development.”

"It was determined that continuing to race these athletes was not in their best interests, nor in the best interests of the program," the BCS said.

Uhlaender went on to win Sunday’s competition but was unable to secure enough points to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics due to the reduced competitor field, according to DW.

"He did not have to do that,” a frustrated Uhlaender told the outlet. “He did it because he could. And it wasn't to protect his athletes; it was to manipulate the system. He waited until after everyone was registered and gave the illusion that the Canadians were going to be competing. He wanted to make sure that we could not get full points."

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